Voided(Come back)
by Soranryu
Summary: Consists of three one-shots, during the time when Leon is possessed by Void. The pairing is Maelstrom Dragon X Trans-core Dragon. Rated for yaoi just in case. Don't like? Then don't read. You have been warned.
1. Voided(Come back)

_Hi guys, new story here! After Undeletable and this one, I realised I quite like writing about the units. So, I got this pairing from reading the lores of Maelstrom and Trans-core, where Trans-core is Maelstrom's student. And since I do have a Aqua Force deck, I ended up falling in love with this pairing. Please enjoy! -Soranryu_

* * *

A roar rang through the dark ocean before giving way to silence, causing the dragon to sigh. The return call he had hoped didn't sound. How many times has it been? He didn't know, because it didn't matter; time just flew past before he knew it. Anguish filled his heart as he turned to return to where his clan is.

As the speed he's travelling, he soon found the settlement of his people. Even though he accepted the fact that they had fallen, he still couldn't help but felt shocked that his once great clan has been reduced to an unknown clan. To make it worse, they have lost their leader, their Vanguard and…his mate.

"Trans-core, you're back," another dragon questioned, swimming up to him. Sensing his anguish, the other dragon gave him a pat on the shoulder and led him back to his room. Once back in his room, Trans-core spoke, "You can go, Navalgazer, I'll be fine." The other dragon, Navalgazer, nodded and turned to leave, but then he turned back, "Tran-score, we know you miss him; he is your mate after all. Don't just worry about Aqua Force; remember to give yourself some time to grief as well."

With that, the other dragon left. He understood what Navalgazer was trying to say, but he can't just break down. He still has to look after Aqua Force, his clan, which his mate had spent his life to build and protect. Of course, he knows that the other dragons will take care of the weaker units, but he felt this huge responsibility to personally look after all of them.

Maybe…it's because his mate is the clan's leader. Blue-Storm Dragon, Maelstrom, is their esteemed Vanguard. Everyone in Aqua Force looked up to him, for he is the strongest and the smartest out of all of them. More importantly, it's because of how he respects everyone's abilities, even the weaker units, that everyone respects and loves him. That…is also why Trans-core had fallen for him.

Maelstrom had promised him to rule the seas together with their clan the night they became mates, but that promise became impossible when Maelstrom was captured by Void, who was also responsible for Aqua Force's downfall. Everyone became devastated and lost their will to fight when Maelstrom was sealed away, succumbing to the Void's attacks.

Even so, Trans-core refused to give up. He had fought vigorously with Void, unleashing his inner instincts, until his anchor was flung away. With his defeat, Aqua Force was truly defeated and the Void left them there, trapped forever under the ocean.

Lying back onto his bed, Trans-core stared up at the blank ceiling, "You have taught me all that I know. How am I supposed to defeat the Void when not even you can?" That's right, even since he could remember, Maelstrom was there with him, teaching him everything there is to know- fighting, battle styles, warfare etc.

To him, Maelstrom wasn't just a lover, but also a mentor and a friend. The blue dragon was a quiet dragon since birth, so he doesn't easily open up to anyone. That is, until he met Maelstrom, the charming dragon with maroon body, blue armour and huge cannons for wings. The first time he saw him, Trans-core was taken aback by Maelstrom's charisma and power, and he knew Maelstrom would be a great leader when he matures.

After their first meeting out of the settlement and in the ocean, when Maelstrom was taking a break from training and Trans-core out exploring, Tran-score became attracted to Maelstrom. He'd secretly wished that the older dragon would seek him out and hang out with him, only to push that thought away and deemed it impossible.

Who knew, Maelstrom did exactly that, approaching him the next day during his training. Since then, the maroon dragon always comes to him when he has the time. As they stayed with each other, the two dragons became closer and developed feelings for each other. On the day when Maelstrom stepped up to take the position of Aqua Force's Vanguard, he confessed his feelings for the blue dragon to the entire clan.

Even though Maelstrom was new at leading the clan, all their clanmates were generous and helped him learn the ways of being a leader. Under Maelstrom's rule, their clan slowly gained power and prosper, taking their time in conquering the seas. Because of their respect for Maelstrom, Aqua Force never caused any trouble, giving him much time to spend with Trans-core.

With that personal time, Maelstrom trained him and even helped him find his weapon, the Doom's Anchor. Unbefitting of its name, the Doom's Anchor is a bright shade of gold, and yet went perfectly with Trans-core's shimmering blue body. Maelstrom then voiced out that it was perfect for him, and he agreed wholeheartedly.

Ever since then, Maelstrom started to bring Trans-core out into the empty area of the sea near their camp just to train and spend time with each other. It was a selfish little request from the maroon dragon because he wants to keep his mate to himself, to keep prying eyes away from his beautiful mate.

It's true; Trans-core is really beautiful. As mentioned before, his slim body was covered in silver-blue scales, and when he moves in the water, his scales shimmer and change colours from blue to silver and back. Together with his Doom's Anchor, Trans-core is the embodiment of shining beauty. It was also because of his beauty that he was named the "Blue Flight Dragon, Trans-core dragon".

However, as Aqua Force became stronger and more well-known, Maelstrom became busier, planning attacks and conquering areas. Just like that, the amount of time he spends with Trans-core decreased. Not only him, Trans-core was also busy taking over the job training the units. It didn't matter, because their feelings for each other are as strong as ever.

Just when they thought things were going well, the Void struck. It was one of the rare moments Maelstrom and Trans-core were free, and they were just enjoying each other's company outside in that empty space. Maelstrom was just contented to hold Trans-core, and the blue dragon gladly complied, lying quietly in his mate's arms.

Everything happened in a split second. One moment they were eying the black mist suspiciously, and the next Maelstrom was ripped apart from Trans-core. They didn't have time to react and soon enough Aqua Force found themselves defeated and their Vanguard captured. As the Void left with Maelstrom, the units of Aqua Force could only stare helplessly.

As night fell, everyone started to head back into the fallen buildings of their ruined camp to seek shelter, no one having the mood to fix anything. By the time midnight came, Trans-core was the only one left in the middle, silent tears rolling down his cheeks. No one ever saw Tans-core shed tears, so everyone could tell the anguish he was feeling from losing his mate.

And that night, Trans-core, who always shines the brightest with his beauty in the dark, seemed to have lost his glow.

* * *

Gold eyes snapped open and stared blankly at the ceiling. Placing a hand on top of his chest, Trans-core tried to calm himself down by taking in deep breaths. He must have fallen asleep while reminiscing the past, when everything was okay, when…he still had Maelstrom.

Realising that his thoughts were straying again, he quickly shook his head and got up. It was about time to start training anyway, so he might as well get going. Even if Aqua Force is isolated without anyone's knowledge of them, they weren't giving up. All of them are still training hard, hoping to become strong enough to free their Vanguard.

"Trans-core, we're just about to start!" Revvon, another powerful Grade 3 dragon, called out to him. As Trans-core approached them, Cobaltwave, also a Grade 3 dragon and Navalgazer's mate, asked quietly, "You feeling better?" Trans-core nodded, giving him a small smile. If there's anything good about Maelstrom's absence, was that Trans-core had become closer with all his clanmates.

Giving a pat to his shoulder, Cobaltwave accompanied him to the rest. Once there, they all started training, which is just sparring between each other. Sometimes, the stronger units will teach the weaker units some advanced fighting moves or styles because the weaker units have a harder time with those. Other times, they will try to figure a new fighting style or a new skill. All in all, their training was not done half-heartedly.

In the middle of sparring with the other Grade 3s, a patrol of Battle Sirens swam up to them. "Everyone, we found where Maelstrom-sama was sealed!" Mallika, a Grade 0 Battle Siren, exclaimed excitedly. At this, all dropped whatever they were doing and gathered around the Battle Sirens.

"That's right; we found the cave where Maelstrom-sama was sealed up, but we weren't strong enough to enter the barrier," Callista confirmed calmly. She then turned to Trans-core, "Want to come and take a look?" The dragon stood frozen, thinking. He kept hoping Maelstrom would respond to his call only to be disappointed. And yet, they have found him, in the same ocean. Does he dare to see his mate, all sealed up and frozen in time?

In the end, Trans-core nodded to Callista's invitation and followed the Grade 2 Battle Siren when she started to swim away. They travelled for some time in silence, because Callista knew that the dragon needed some quiet time. They soon stopped in front of a wall of underwater mountains with no way to swim through it.

"What now?" Trans-core asked softly, looking over to the siren. She scanned the bottom of the mountains and started to swim down to the foot, coming to a stop at a hidden entrance. "It's a maze down in there, but we marked our way when we left. As long as we followed those markings, we can find him," Callista explained.

Trans-core nodded and held out a hand, asking her to lead the way. And then, they both went in, the entire maze big enough even for the dragon to enter and move freely.

* * *

They went through many twists and turns, but Trans-core was confident that they weren't lost. He had seen the Battle Sirens' markings and he trusts them; they know how much Maelstrom meant to everyone, to him, so they won't joke around with this.

Soon, they reached a space that was murkier than the other parts of the cave. "This is the barrier I'm talking about," Callista explained, holding her hand up to touch it. She quickly withdrew her hand with a wince when electrical sparks flew out. She then looked at him, "I barely made it in just now, but I saw him. Maelstrom-sama is really in there."

"Thank you, Callista," he nodded, stepping forward to the black mist. Reaching a hand up to it, he felt a tingling sensation, but that's all. And so, he pushed on and walked into the black mist. In the mist, everything was dark emptiness. There was no sound, no light, just empty void. If it wasn't for the Doom's Anchor emitting its light, he would have gotten lost. If it wasn't for his love for Maelstrom, he would have given up.

Gripping his Anchor harder, Trans-core pushed on, erasing all thoughts from his head. His persistence bore fruit when he saw a huge purple crystal ahead. Following his heartbeat, his footsteps increased before coming to an abrupt stop in front of the crystal. But…there's nothing inside it.

That's not right; Callista couldn't have lied to him, could she? Besides, Trans-core is picking up a presence in there. "Maelstrom…?" he whispered, placing a hand on the crystal. As if by magic, the black emptiness gave way to a familiar face at where his hand was. However, the face was frozen with eyes closed, as if it was a painting.

"Maelstrom!" a broken gasp escaped his lips once he saw his mate. Dropping his anchor, he leant forward and placed both hands and his forehead against the crystal, "I missed you so much…" Silent tears rolled down and mingled with the cold ocean, disappearing into the dark waters.

Trans-core stayed like this for some time, concentrating hard on the soft, almost inaudible heartbeat of his beloved. It was slow and regular, as if he was sleeping. Maybe he was, forced to sleep when he was sealed away. Just hearing that familiar heartbeat again gave Trans-core strength to carry on.

As much as he would like to stay here with Maelstrom, he knew it was impossible. He still has his clan to take care of, and the Void might return to check on his hostage anytime. Thinking up to here, he pulled away and stared at the peaceful face. Caressing the crystal softly with a lover's touch, he whispered, "I won't let you stay here too long, understand?"

With that, he picked up his anchor and left quickly, not looking back. Because if he did, he would have seen the small twitch of Maelstrom's arm. Because if he did, he won't bear to leave.

 ** _"So, come back soon…"_**

* * *

 _So..how was it? This is the first part of the trilogy, hope it wasn't too bad! I got inspiration for the title style from Beast(k-pop band)'s Say No/Take care of my girlfriend. Do check out the song, it's not bad (shamelessly advertising)! -Soranryu_


	2. Returned(Who are you)

_Second part, here we go! So in here, Leon, Jillian and Sharlene are included, but mainly only Leon. Rated for mentioned violence and sex. -Soranryu_

* * *

 _"Picture it,"_ the echo of the aged human voice resounded through the ocean, catching everyone's attention, _"the alternate universe called Cray, where Vanguard units come to life."_ All of the units gathered at the centre of their settlement, with Trans-core at the front. Soon after the voice spoke, astral bodies manifested in the waters, floating in front of them.

There are one elder and three young children, the latter staring at the world and the units in awe. Trans-core and the human elder exchanged nods before turning their attention to the kids, two girls, twins from the looks of it, and a boy. The twins both have light blue hair and yellow eyes, the only way to tell them apart is their personalities.

The older one is more serious and practical. The younger one, on the other hand, is more laid back and sometimes naïve. The boy, exuding kindness and love for the winds and ocean, has blond hair and unique purple eyes. While the girls were looking around their settlement, the boy focused on Trans-core and those behind him.

Stepping forward, the boy raised his hand, "Hello. My name is Souryu Leon. What's yours?" Raising his hand, the blue dragon presented a finger for the boy to shake, "My name is Blue Flight Dragon, Trans-core dragon. You may address me as Trans-core and I welcome you to our world." Hearing their introductions, the twins floated over and introduced themselves as well, the older one Jillian Chen and the younger one Sharlene Chen.

"Aqua Force," the elder spoke up afterwards, "these young children have reached the age of becoming a Fighter." He then gave a bow to the entire clan, "Will you lend these children your strength to rule the seas once again?" Trans-core and all other units returned the gesture, offering the power of the Aqua Force to the three kids.

With that, light surrounded the human children, the power of the clan flowing through them. Knowledge of their origins and of their stories, their individual skills and combination plays, all engraved deeply into the children's minds. Once the light dimmed, the three stared in awe before snapping out of their daze, bowing to the clan in respect and thanks.

Then, at the elder's cue, the four humans left, their astral bodies disintegrating. "That boy is special. Leon, is it?" Tetra Drive dragon muttered, coming to stand beside Trans-core. Catching the other dragon's eye, Trans-core nodded, "Yes, he will be the one." The two dragons shared one more glance before joining the rest of the clan, which was buzzing with excitement.

One could hardly blame them. When the Souryu clan disappeared from the seas, the elder was the only one who wielded Aqua Force. However, with him being an elder, it won't be long before he joined the rest of the clan, leaving Aqua Force to fade from the face of Cray. Now that they have three young Fighters wielding them, Aqua Force has a chance to thrive once more, and that thought boosted the entire clan's moral.

Time passed as the units spent time training, even more determined than ever. "That's enough, everyone; please rest up for the rest of the day," Trans-core put down his Doom Anchor, signalling the end of training. Then, as usual, he swam off into the open sea to spend some time alone, oblivious to the little figure following him.

Reaching his usual spot, the blue dragon sat down and hugged his weapon loosely, staring into the dark waters as he thought about his beloved mate trapped in a giant purple crystal. "Hey, you okay?" a soft voice broke him out of his trance and Trans-core turned to look at the intruder in surprise, "Leon?" The translucent figure of the boy circled around before coming to sit down on a rock beside him.

"You shouldn't be here," concern laced Trans-core's voice. From what he understood, it is taxing for the human mind to travel to Cray, and not all humans can do it. He does not want Leon to tire himself out. "It is fine," the child waved away his concern, "I'm more worried about you. When I first met you just now, I can feel your sadness. Do you mind sharing your troubles?"

 _He will be a great leader one day, with such a caring heart,_ Trans-core thought to himself as he returned his gaze to the ocean. Silence fell between them for a few minutes before Trans-core started to speak, "I am not Aqua Force's Vanguard." Leon did not seem surprised as he hummed in response, "I see." Sparing a glance at the human, the dragon continued, "Our Vanguard is a maroon dragon named Maelstrom, a beloved leader by all."

As he talked about his mate, Trans-core's heart clenched painfully, "Unfortunately, he was locked away by an evil being named Void long time ago. That is also why the Souryu clan disappeared as well." Hearing the sadness in the dragon's voice, Leon stared at him, "Is Maelstrom precious to you?" Taken aback, Trans-core could only nod.

"I see," Leon hummed again before getting up. He floated in front of Trans-core and flashed a brilliant smile, "You are now one of my precious comrades and I don't like seeing my friends sad. I swear upon my name that I'll become stronger to free Maelstrom and Aqua Force!"

Feeling the gentle breeze that danced along his scales from behind the child, Trans-core bowed down to Leon.

* * *

 _"Say, Sharlene, Leon-sama told us about the Souryu child, but it has been so long and there's no sign of him. What…what if the Souryu child doesn't exist?" the older twin mumbled, staring into the water. Sharlene gasped, shocked that her sister would even entertain that thought. "No way! Both Leon-sama and the Elder said he will come, so the Souryu child does exist!" she cried at her twin, "He does…"_

 _However, Jillian's question raised her on doubt as well, and she trailed off, tears started making their way down her cheeks. Jillian caught onto her sister's sadness and soon both girls were sobbing, afraid that the prophecy of the Souryu child was fake and that they would be trapped on the island forever. Hearing their cries, Leon hid behind the wall and whispered to himself, "I will find the Souryu child, for their sake."_

Seeing the familiar scene in his sleep, the blond rolled onto his back without signs of waking up. He was merely dreaming of the past, the promise he made years ago when he was still a child. Thinking of promises, his mind pulled another scene from his memories, playing it in his head.

 _"Hey, you okay?" he asked the beautiful blue dragon sitting alone. Giving a small smile at the dragon's shock, he circled around to sit beside it on a rock. The dragon told him that he shouldn't be here, but Leon dismissed his concerns, much more worried about the dragon who bears a sadness which he voiced out. "Do you mind sharing your troubles?" he asked._

 _The dragon turned to look at the sea before explaining everything, the sealing of their Vanguard leading to Aqua Force and Souryu clan's downfall. Leon could tell that Trans-core truly respected Maelstrom, but he sensed a deeper feeling, so he asked, "Is Maelstrom precious to you?" The look on Trans-core's face was all the answer he needed._

 _"I swear upon my name that I'll become stronger to free Maelstrom and Aqua Force!" he promised with a dazzling smile. The beautiful dragon sealed the words with a bow._ Groaning softly, Leon opened his eyes to stare at the ceiling. Remembering the scenes, he frowned a little. Those two oaths were important to him, and yet he has yet to do something after all these years.

Yes, he did train, but he and the twins have nothing else they could learn on the island. It is past time that they set out into the world to meet other players. The Elder that had raised them left two years ago, requesting them to bring Souryu clan back on his deathbed. Back then, Leon felt that they were still too young, so they stayed on the island. But now, he felt ready to leave, Jillian and Sharlene will follow him without question.

As he thought of that, Leon got out of bed and washed up before walking out of the mansion. There were noises coming from the kitchen, but he paid no heed. The twins will call for him when they were done with breakfast. He strolled along without any destination in mind, contemplating. Leaving the island is a big deal, something none of them had done before. Will they be able to survive out there?

Questions and answers were flying around in his mind until he realised that he had stopped at his favourite spot of the island. It was a small ledge of stone facing the calmer part of the sea, the waves broken by the stone walls towering over the area. In front of him were two thin pillars of stone, slightly symmetrical to each other and sort of forming a "gate".

 _"Do you want power, young man? Do you want the power to leave this island?"_ a guttural voice sounded and water rose up from the ocean's surface, forming a mirror of sorts in front on him. Shocked, Leon took a step back and stared at his distorted image reflected off the water, watching as the liquid darkened and two red eyes staring back at him. "Who are you?" he demanded, straightening himself.

A chuckle was heard before the voice answered, _"I am Void."_ "Void, huh? Indeed, I do want the power you mentioned, but there is a price, is there not?" Leon asked solemnly. There is no free lunch is this world, that he knows very well. _"A cautious child, aren't you? That is correct. I can grant you the power, in exchange for my freedom,"_ Void chuckled again, his red orbs glowing in amusement.

"Freedom? Are you trapped somewhere, like us?" the blond asked curiously, his kind heart taking over. Void's eyes bounced up and down as he nodded, _"Yes. However, if you can get me out, I will help you, as repayment."_ Leon wanted to agree, but something was nagging at him, that something was suspicious about Void.

Void sensed his hesitation and pulled out his trump card, _"I can get Maelstrom back for you."_ That seemed to do the trick as Leon snapped out of his thoughts to stare at the mirror of water with wide eyes, "You mean that?!" _"Of course,"_ Void purred, knowing that he had won the deal. Offering the human the power to leave was to give him a chance to fulfil his promise to the twins. However, if Leon was determined enough, he could have done that himself.

Offering Leon the power to get Maelstrom back, on the other hand, was a different story. The boy had no idea where, how and by whom Maelstrom was sealed; getting the maroon dragon back was an impossible feat. With this offer, Leon could not resist any further, in order to fulfil both his promises to the twins and Trans-core.

Contemplating for a little while more, Leon looked into the red orbs and demanded, "You better hold your end of the bargain." Thrusting his right hand into flowing water in front of him, Leon chanted the spell Void had taught him.

Void smirked.

* * *

Lightning flashed and thunder boomed, threatening to tear the world apart. Aqua Force looked on as the ocean darkened and the waters swirled violently around them. Light-weighted objects that couldn't stand against the currents were swept up from their places. A startled cry from one of the Grade 0s snapped Trans-core out of his shocked state and he quickly gave out orders to evacuate the weaker units into the buildings.

Once that was done, the dragons and several Grade 2s exchanged glances, waiting tensely for something to happen. _"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!"_ a pain-filled cry cut through the roaring waters and reached their ears. "Leon!" Trans-core looked up, hoping to spot the boy but to no avail. He was getting really worried. First, a huge storm hit his settlement with no apparent warning, and then Leon's scream, these two matters leaving a bad taste in his mouth.

The storm and Leon's cry went on for a few minutes before dying out together. Looking at the ocean that had calmed down, everyone was on high alert. A foreboding sense of evil hung around them and they refused to ignore it. Just then, a silhouette appeared at the far end of the ocean. Something stirred in his heart and Trans-core gripped his anchor tighter, swimming forward.

"Trans-core, what are you doing?" Naval Gazer shouted to him, a slight panic in his voice. Trans-core turned back to him, "You guys stay! I'll go and see who that is myself. If something is wrong, I will call for reinforcements!" Without listening to what the others have to say, he swam on. His instincts were telling him to meet this person alone and he's going to go along.

Trans-core stopped short. _Why…_ he took in the familiar maroon scales, the wings of canon and everything else that he would never forget in a lifetime, "Why are you here…Maelstrom…?" Finally, the two dragons were standing face to face, their eyes meeting. "Maelstrom…" Trans-core murmured, reaching out a shaking hand. He wants, no, he needs to touch his mate, to make sure that this isn't a dream.

What he hadn't expected was a painful slap. The pain on his face didn't register until much later as his mind blanked out from the shock. "Useless trash. How can you call yourself my mate when you can't even save me?" an ugly sneer plastered on Maelstrom's face, "Oh well, since I'm feeling good from being released after so long, I'll give you a chance to redeem yourself."

Trans-core took a step back in horror. Maelstrom had changed; this wasn't the Maelstrom he had known and loved for his entire life! Seeing the look on the blue dragon's face, Maelstrom's sneer widened, "You're afraid, that's good. Now listen well: I plan to take over Cray all other clans, and if you want to call yourself my mate, you better make yourself useful. Got it?"

Unable to refuse, Trans-core schooled his face into a blank sheet and kneeled down on one knee in submission, "Yes, my lord." Because in the end, no matter how different he is, how _evil_ he has become, Trans-core still _loves_ him.

* * *

All of Aqua Force were joyous at Maelstrom's return. However, the change in him was so great that even the weakest units could tell. According to the little ones, the current Vanguard was "scarier" and they were even more afraid of making mistakes. The old Maelstrom would have encouraged mistakes as he believed that things can be learned through making mistakes.

Maelstrom was strict with training and he no longer care about battle plans. Their attacks are just blindly charging in and destroying whoever that stood in their paths. All of Aqua Force realised that Maelstrom could very well do the same to them, being the heartless beast he is right now, but he didn't. There could only be one reason: Trans-core.

They found out the truth some time later, about how Trans-core sacrificing his body to Maelstrom's abuse for them. The other Grade 3s confronted him one day, and his reply only served to break their hearts even more, "I'm fine as long as he doesn't lay a hand on all of you as he promised. I can't let him destroy the home he spent so much effort to build just because he _changed_."

With that said, Trans-core returned to Maelstrom's side, being the loyal warrior to his lord. At night, Trans-core slowly breaks under the painful torture and mating bestowed by Maelstrom. His heart shed tears of blood at the crazed look in Maelstrom's eyes. Still, he kept his silence.

 ** _Who are you…?_**

* * *

 _Ok, Maelstrom's an asshole, but it has to be what it has to be. Hold onto your complains first and read the next, THEN tell me what you think :P -_

 _-Soranryu_


	3. Welcome back(I'm sorry)

_Alright, on to the last part! Mentions of violence and abuse and death, but if you are already here, you should be fine :P Soranryu_

* * *

Trans-core blinked slowly as the pain slowly registered in his mind. It was still dark out, so it's probably still too early to be awake. Gently, he removed the hand around his waist and slid out of bed, careful of the sleeping dragon next to him. The blue dragon covered Maelstrom with the blanket once again before swimming over to where the healers were staying.

This has become his normal routine ever since Maelstrom returned to them. The early hours after Maelstrom's abuse, he would head over to the healers to remove signs of the abuse. Then morning would come and he would act like nothing happened, staying quietly by their Vanguard's side. The Maelstrom now preferred him to keep his silence.

Reaching his destination, he gently knocked before entering. "Trans-core," the elder Ice Floe Angel greeted him, "Here, take a seat." He did what he was told and she started healing him. Silence ensued between them. This Ice Floe Angel was the oldest among all, being one of the first to be born when Cray started to exist. That being said, her healing power is still the strongest among all the healers and she herself was enough to heal his injuries.

Once she was done, Trans-core bent down to rest his cheek against hers as a form of thank-you and respect. "You can't keep this up forever, young one," she said softly, her heart crying out for him. "I know, but I will," the dragon replied, his voice equally soft. When he turned back to give her a small smile, the elder's heart broke.

Trans-core was so broken, there was barely any of himself left in that body. And yet, he continued to take the brunt of Maelstrom's punishment for them to protect them so that the maroon dragon don't regret his actions when he returns to normal. That conviction to protect everything despite his crumbling body and heart was too much for the elder and she turned to the heavens.

Interlocking her fingers together, she prayed, "Someone, please, stop that young dragon's sacrifice."

* * *

"Oh, you're back," Maelstrom's voice greeted him and he nodded silently. He felt slight fear creeping into his heart because Maelstrom _never_ wakes up so early. Keeping his head slightly down, as usual, he stood and waited for Maelstrom's next move. The maroon dragon seemed to sense his caution as he chuckled coming over to him.

Wrapping gentle arms around Trans-core, Maelstrom crooned, "Cautious, are we? That's a good boy. I'm so sorry for being so harsh last night. Do you still hurt anywhere?" His voice was like soft silk, convincing Trans-core's tensed muscles to relax a little. Trans-core gave a small shake of his head to answer Maelstrom's question, not trusting his own voice.

Maelstrom scanned the blue dragon's body thoroughly. "I'm glad," he smiled in satisfaction when he found no remaining injury. He then raised a hand and lifted Trans-core's head gently so that their eyes met. Cold white bore into blank gold before Maelstrom leant down, giving his mate a sweet kiss. At once, Trans-core's body tensed up, going shock-still.

Unoffended, Maelstrom pulled away slowly, giving one last nuzzle to his snout before pulling away. "I made breakfast, so hurry up and eat before it gets cold. I'm going first, come once you're done," he instructed, his voice keeping the silkiness from before. Once Trans-core sat down and started eating, he left the house with a smirk.

Looking at him leave, thoughts hounded Trans-core. Even though the cold treatment he was now used to every morning was absent, the tender moment from earlier felt wrong. Very wrong. Indeed, that was how the old Maelstrom, _his_ Maelstrom would act, but Trans-core knew it wasn't that Maelstrom is reverting back to his original self. It was entirely different, a warning to Trans-core not to do anything unnecessary.

 _Just give him up and leave; he is no longer the one we love. We do not have to do so much for him,_ a voice in his head piped up. It was his logic. _I can't. I love him too much,_ his heart and instincts objected. _What is the point in all this? We did so much for him, and yet not once did he return our love. Face it, our mate is gone, replaced by this monster. He's no longer coming back!_ His head screamed at him, trying to make him see reason.

Trans-core squeezed his eyes shut and clutched his head, _no, I can't and I won't! He's not dead; he's there, somewhere within. He'll come back! I'll keep waiting until my last breath._ With that, Trans-core steeled his resolved and shut his logic out. Shaking his head to clear it, he quickly finished his breakfast. Maelstrom won't like it if he's late.

* * *

As expected, Maelstrom was once again cold and distant when Trans-core took his place by his side. The maroon dragon did nothing, not even spare a glance, to acknowledge his existence. Disappointment and sadness grew within Trans-core, but he pushed them aside immediately, making sure that his emotionless mask was not broken. He knew this already, had seen it coming, no point getting upset.

Just then, Maelstrom snapped his head up and stared into the distance, as if waiting for something. A few moments of waiting and soon black mist was closing in on them. The sky darkened to a blood red, and the ocean followed suit. "Void," the word came out of Trans-core's mouth in a breath, but no one took notice.

 _"Since the battles on Cray are not wielding any outcome, that blasted lion had gathered humans to lead the battles! Your every move is now controlled by your human Vanguard! Have fun!"_ Void's voice cackled around them before the black mist engulfed Aqua Force's entire settlement. Screams from the weaker units can be heard as well as roars from the dragons, but they could do nothing.

Surprisingly, the mist cleared after some time later and Aqua Force found themselves fighting the Narukami clan, the clan of the Thunder dragons. Before he knew it, Trans-core was locked in a battle with Thunder Break Dragon, while Maelstrom and Dragonic Kaiser Vermillion faced off. "How dare you!" Kaiser Vermillion roared, his fury and anguish washing over them, "How dare you seal up Overlord to free yourself! What did my brother ever do to you?!"

Trans-core's eyes widened in shock at the news. "What?" he questioned under his breath. "Please drop the act," Thunder Break snorted in disgust, "Everyone knew that your beloved Maelstrom sealed up Overlord, Blaster Blade and Blaster Dark in exchange for his freedom." As he parried off the Narukami's blow with his anchor, he shook his head, "I'm not! I swear, none of us knew!" At his denial, Thunder Break snarled, "Lies! He's your Vanguard, how can you guys not know?!"

Now that he knew the truth, Trans-core can hear his heart beating wildly. All other sounds became muted and he was left with his thoughts, his body going into auto-pilot to fight Thunder Break. _Maelstrom sealed three Leaders to free himself…It can't be…Maelstrom would never do that!_ As he thought that, he looked towards Maelstrom and inhaled sharply when he saw the crazed grin on his face.

"Who…are…you…?" he whispered brokenly. Maybe…his logic was right all along. Maelstrom IS gone. His kind Maelstrom that was loved by all is gone. Trans-core's mind and heart withered and shut down as he focused back Thunder Break. Leading his opponent into Maelstrom's line of vision, he said firmly, "We didn't know, none of us. He just came back one day, out of the blue."

Thunder Break did not take nicely his words, believing that he was still lying, let out an enraged roar and charged, his sword aimed at his chest. At the last second, Trans-core made eye contact with Maelstrom and dropped his anchor. The golden anchor landed with a loud "thud" and a sickening sound was heard when Thunder Break's sword impaled the blue dragon.

Coughing out blood, Trans-core maintained eye contact with Maelstrom, his gold eyes pleading and soft. Before Maelstrom could stop it, an anguished roar left his throat, "TRANS-CORE!" However, instead of stopping, due to Leon crossriding him, he transformed into his most powerful form - Blue Storm Supreme Dragon, Glory Maelstrom.

All mundane thoughts were lost to him as he struck at his opponents. He only knew one thing – to pass judgement, and that he shall do. For the sake of his clan, he will pass judgement to those who had forsaken them. Anyone who tries to stop him will be defeated, friend or foe. With that sole purpose in his mind, he unleashed his power and took out the Narukami soon enough.

* * *

Maelstrom stared down at the dragon on the ground. Red was spreading on the white bandage on his chest. The silvery-blue scales had dimmed, becoming dull like waste metal. The golden eyes were shut and the face held a peaceful expression even though Maelstrom knew the wound hurt like hell. Trans-core's breathing was even, but shallow, showing how critical his condition was.

They have won against the Narukami, seeing that Leon had won against their human Vanguard, Kai Toshiki. As they could not go back to their settlement, stuck in this battlefield until the war is over, they made a temporary camp. "Sir, his wound is quite worrying. Hopefully, we can go back to the settlement soon," the elder Ice Floe Angel swam up to him, but still maintain a certain distance from him.

"Will his condition turn for the better if we return?" Maelstrom asked, devoid of emotions. The older unit nodded her head, "My herbs that are of better quality and effectiveness are all left behind. Not only that, I can't use any more of what I have on him, or there won't be any left for the rest of the troop." Maelstrom nodded his head and dismissed her, settling down beside the unconscious Trans-core.

"Why did you do that?" he murmured. There were two voices arguing in his head, one saying that Trans-core deserved it for doing something unnecessary, the other one saying that he's fault that Trans-core ended up like this. It was getting annoying, but before Maelstrom could dwell any further, or answer his own question for that matter, Leon called them to another battle.

This time, they were up against the Gold Paladin, led by the human Vanguard Aichi Sendou. Soon, both Maelstrom and Gold Paladin's Vanguard, Incandescent Lion, Blond Ezel, were called out to battle. "Give up the fight, Maelstrom!" Ezel demanded, slashing at the dragon. Maelstrom dodged that attack and launched his own, "I refuse! I finally got out; there's no way I'm going back to being sealed!"

The lion shook his head, "No, you don't get it! Void was the one who sealed you, surely you remember that much! Work together with us! We'll defeat Void and free the Leaders!" Hearing that, Maelstrom sneered, "Work together?! That's just like you Paladins, all about working together! Things don't always go well when you work together! There are things that can only be achieved when sacrifices were made!"

When the word "sacrifices" came out of his mouth, his mind thought back to Trans-core making that deal with him, to hurt him and only him and spare the rest of the clan. That memory left a bitter taste in his mouth and he focused back on Ezel again, "And why should we help you? Where were you when Aqua Force needed your help?!" To emphasise his point, Maelstrom shot a barrage of missiles at the lion.

As the smoke cleared, Ezel wiped away the blood that had flowed down to his face via a superficial cut on his forehead, "I will admit that was a mistake. We did try to save Aqua Force, Maelstrom, but Void was too strong for us. But indeed, it was wrong of us to forsake you completely. We should have tried harder, longer, to look for you guys and free you.

"However, we are now paying for that mistake. Void is still too strong for us to take alone. We need your strength! If you stand together with us, all of Cray will once again welcome Aqua Force with open arms!" With that, Ezel charged forward, his blades forming an 'X' in front of him. Maelstrom took the hit and flung Ezel aside, sending the smaller unit crashing onto the floor.

He landed and pinned Ezel to the ground, hard, to the point of choking him, "You made it sound so easy, lion, but what do you know of our agony? We ruled the Seven Seas! The effort and time it took could outlive you! And then what? It was all gone in five seconds. I knew what was going on in that bloody crystal!

"I knew of my clan's anguish and confusion. I knew of their sufferings to survive. I knew of their dying hope as they tried and tried to get me out and still failed. You know what the worst was?" Maelstrom asked, snarling down on Ezel, "The worst, out of all, was the fact that my mate was crying out there and I couldn't hold him! He was the one who saw me got locked up by Void, and yet he was the one who never gave up on me!"

"Then…why do you…hurt him…?" the soft, pained voice of Ezel reached him and he froze. _Why…?_ All the times he abused Trans-core swam into his mind. _Why?_ "He's hurt…is he not? For you…" Ezel continued, stirring confusion in Maelstrom's heart. _Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?_ The question kept repeating in his head, as Trans-core's silent screams of pain echoed in his mind.

Finally, he couldn't take it anymore. "I DON'T KNOW!" he roared, his mind a torrent of feelings and thoughts. At that exact moment, Leon crossride again, and Maelstrom transformed into Glory Maelstrom, banishing all thoughts. Somewhere along the battle, Ezel had also transformed to Platina Ezel, due to Aichi crossriding him.

Ezel tried to talk to Maelstrom again, but a shimmering hand stopped him. He turned around to find Blaster Blade's spirit. He was shocked, to say the least, but then the spirit shook his head, "It's no point talking to him. In that form, he can't hear anyone anymore." Understanding that defeating the maroon dragon was the only way, he turned to face the dragon and charged.

It was true that Maelstrom can't hear anyone else, in the way that he refused to listen to anyone else, but for the first time in this form, he was thinking about something else other than judgement. He was thinking about the beautiful dragon that was his mate. His memories of the past were blurry, being tempered with before he was unsealed, but he remembered the soft touches of Trans-core.

He remembered the soft voice, the soft smile and the soft glow of silvery-blue. Everything about Trans-core is soft, except for his personality and strength. Then, his mind flitted back to the time after he returned, on how he treated the blue dragon. He was rough and he was sure everything he did to Trans-core _hurt_ , but the blue dragon has never said a word, only returning gentle touches of his own.

 _"Welcome back,"_ Trans-core had whispered, on the first night of his return, the night he promised not to hurt anyone else of the clan, after he fell asleep. He was barely awake and vaguely heard it, so he had dismissed it. But now, thinking back, he knew he heard Trans-core clearly. Even though he had been so _cold_ and _evil_ , Trans-core still loves him.

That thought hit Maelstrom hard, shattering the walls Maelstrom had built around his heart to lock away unnecessary feelings. With the walls down, everything was released and flooded his body. The anger of being sealed up by Void, the sadness and frustration of losing power and seeing his clan fall and the pain of _losing and then hurting his mate_ gripped his heart, choking him. The feelings brought forth tears he never thought he was capable of producing.

Ezel started when he saw the tears dripping down from Maelstrom's eyes. However, it was too late for him to stop. Aichi had ordered him to attack, and this Maelstrom cannot escape. It is already their win. Once again, his twin blades sliced down in an 'X', squarely on the dragon's chest. There was no retaliation on Maelstrom's part, only a pain-filled roar.

 _It hurts…_ was the thought that popped out in Maelstrom's mind after Ezel's attacks. And yet, it seemed like his mind was much clearer, his confusion and anger gone. Peace settled over his mind when he knew that he no longer have to hurt anyone. He could hear Leon's shout too as Void fled from the human. However, things were not over yet, seeing that Void was gathering his mist.

 _"Ha! You think I would back off just because I lost! Never! Now, it is even easier for me to take over!"_ Void's triumphant laugh echoed all around Cray as he set his black mist. He had already covered half of Cray and know he was going to take the remaining half. "I won't let you!" Ezel turned into a ball of light and shot into the sky, standing in Void's way.

His light brought hope for everyone, but his power alone wasn't enough. "You're pathetic…" Maelstrom sighed, doing the same and joined the lion. With Maelstrom's added power, and slowly the other Vanguards started to contribute, they began to push Void's black mist back little by little. _"Wha-? How-? No, I can't lose! NO!"_ Void's frantic cries only served to fuel the strength of theirs, and their light shone brighter.

Finally, with one last push, they managed to seal up Void, freeing the three Leaders. "Brother!" Kaiser Vermillion rushed forward to support Dragonic Overlord in a one-armed hug. "Blade! Dark!" Ezel, too, quickly offered support to his close friends. They quickly head for the ground so that the three Leaders can have a rest.

"Maelstrom," Blaster Blade stepped forward, offering a hand, "Welcome back to Cray. I am sure the ocean has plenty of space to accommodate Aqua Force." Surprised, Maelstrom looked at him with guilt, "Are you sure? My recent actions are not to be forgiven easily." "You were under the influence of Void," Blaster blade rebutted, giving him a friendly smile. Dragonic Overlord offered his hand as well, "If not, accept this as our apologies, for not offering enough help to your clan." Blaster Dark said nothing, but he offered his hand too.

Feeling thankful, Maelstrom shook all their hands one at a time. However, his good mood was sent crashing to the ground when a soft voice whispered in his mind, _"I'm sorry…"_ He snapped his head in the direction of the temporary camp and dread filled him. "Trans-core…" he muttered, his heart going cold. "What?" Ezel questioned, a little startled.

"TRANS-CORE! NO!"

* * *

Skidding to a halt, his heart stopped at the sad looks his clanmates were giving him. "He…did not make it…" the elder Ice Floe Angel told him, breaking the news as gently as she could with tears streaming down her pink cheeks. Maelstrom sank to the ground, reaching out a shaky hand to touch the peaceful face. He cupped the blue snout gently in his hand and leant down tentatively, listening for breathing.

When he heard none, he shot up and stared at Trans-core's face, willing those golden eyes to open and look at him. Nothing happened and it finally sunk that Trans-core is _dead_ , before Maelstrom could apologize for everything. "No…you can't…" Maelstrom could feel the sobs coming up, wrecking his body, "You can't leave me alone! Trans-core, please, you can't go! I haven't tell you how sorry I am for being such a bastard, for hurting you!"

"Please...Trans-core…come back…I beg you…" his cries filled the camp, and all of Aqua Force cried with him. They cried through the remaining day and cried through the night. The other clans wanted to help them move to their new home but decided to just let Aqua Force mourn first. Ezel and the three Leaders stayed and asked of their clans to camp further out until further notice.

It was the next day when Maelstrom sat up and got his clanmates to pack up and move. The Paladins and Kagero helped as well, moving everything from their temporary camp and their settlement to their new home. Maelstrom went back to the settlement to retrieve his and Trans-core's stuff before carrying Trans-core's body to their new home.

Once they settled down, the elder Ice Floe Angel quickly cleaned and sealed up Trans-core's wound and settled him in the middle of their new settlement. This is so that everyone can step forward to pay their respect to the blue dragon they have come to love. Not recovering from the grief of losing him, Aqua Force remained sitting vigil until it was time to bury him.

* * *

Trans-core groaned as he slowly stirred to consciousness. He opened his heavy eyelids by force only to see the ocean. It was calm; there was no disturbance whatsoever. The ocean was a beautiful turquoise and the soft sunlight that filtered in warmed his scales. His scales shimmered along with the ocean and he gave a sigh.

"Trans-core," a familiar voice broke the silence and he turned towards the source of the voice. It was Leon. Trans-core sat up from where he was lying and held out a palm for Leon to settle, "What are you doing here? Am I not dead?" Leon chuckled lightly and sat down, looking up at him with bright amethyst eyes, "Indeed you are dead."

The blond gave a smile, "However, I will not allow it. I promised you to get Maelstrom back. Now that he's back, I can't allow you to go." Trans-core blinked at his words, "Then how are you going to bring me back?" "Cards can be created through a Fighter's will. Just look at Kai," Leon chuckled again before resuming, "And hence, I am going to revive you using my will."

"Won't that be taxing on you?" the dragon asked in concern. The human waved it off, "I'll be fine. I want to do this as well. You have been a great mentor and companion, I will be upset if you leave us." Then, without waiting for Trans-core's answer, Leon stood and closed his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he gathered his concentration and reopened his eyes, sending a wave of power over Trans-core. "Now go, return to your mate."

When Trans-core once again opened his eyes, the ocean met his sight again, but with the top of buildings. There was something heavy on his arm, and he slowly turned his head to see Maelstrom sleeping on his arm. Taking a shaky breath, Trans-core reached his other hand across his chest to gently stroke Maelstrom's cheek, ignoring the pain.

It seemed like Maelstrom wasn't really asleep because he snapped awake immediately at the touch. His wide eyes widened at the sight of Trans-core being alive and he just sat frozen, not knowing what to do. "Maelstrom…?" Trans-core called out weakly, hand reaching out for his mate. At the sound of his name, Maelstrom grabbed the hand and interlocked their fingers together, sitting closer to the blue dragon.

"You're alive…you're alive!" Maelstrom mumbled, repeating that phrase over and over again as he nuzzled Trans-core, breathing in his scent. When he finally accepted that Trans-core is very much alive, he helped Trans-core sit up and held him close, allowing the blue dragon to rest his head against his chest. "How?" he asked.

Trans-core sighed contently being in his mate's arms again, "Leon willed me back." "I see. He is a very good human Vanguard," Maelstrom commented, stroking Trans-core's head. The blue dragon hummed in agreement and they shared a silent moment. "You came back, young child!" the elder Angel swam up, her eyes shining with new tears, "Thank goodness!"

After that, more and more units woke up and soon everyone was celebrating that Trans-core was back from the dead. Since it was night, celebrations were postponed to the next night and all retired back to their new quarters. When they were back in theirs, Maelstrom gently set Trans-core down on the bed before climbing in himself, hovering over his mate.

"No mating, Maelstrom," Trans-core teased, his smile curving into a gentle smile. "I know; I wasn't planning to," Maelstrom replied, chuckling a little. Then, he looked into Trans-core's golden orbs as he said seriously, "I'm sorry, Trans-core, for everything. When I was trapped in the crystal, my anger and pain just kept growing. When I was free, together with my desire for revenge, these feelings completely changed me, turning me into that…monster. Void tempered with my memories as well, but that wasn't a valid excuse.

"Because of my own weakness, I couldn't fight the dark emotions and became a bastard to all of you. Especially you. Even till now, every time I remembered what I did to you, guilt starts eating my alive. Your death was the last straw; I was so ready to join you." Maelstrom then placed his forehead on Trans-core, closing his eyes.

"If you did take your own life, then you will have wasted my efforts," Trans-core said simply. Maelstrom pulled away a little to look at him questioningly. "I made that deal to protect Aqua Force so that when you come back, you won't feel guilty for hurting them. I was protecting them for you. If you were gone, then for what purpose have I sacrificed for?"

Maelstrom took some time to digest that before he sighed in defeat, "Alright, fine. I won't let myself die so easily in the future. But you can't just up and leave me either; you're mine." With a possessive growl, Maelstrom captured Trans-core's lips in a deep kiss.

 ** _"Welcome back…I'm sorry for everything…"_**

* * *

 _So...that's the end for this :( How was it? Hope it wasn't too bad. Do leave reviews ok? And also, if you have any unit pairings and want a story out of them, feel free to request! :D -Soranryu_


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